


Please let me out?

by veldygee



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, First Meetings, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-23
Updated: 2014-10-23
Packaged: 2018-02-22 07:13:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2499191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/veldygee/pseuds/veldygee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Courfeyrac didn't know that being locked inside a bookshop was even a thing that could happen in real life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Please let me out?

**Author's Note:**

> So there was this [news](http://edition.cnn.com/2014/10/17/travel/tourist-trapped-in-bookstore/) a few days ago about a tourist got trapped in a bookshop. It was hilarious and so then I thought hmmm this would be a cute first meeting scenario for Combeferre and Courfeyrac. It was really hard for me to decide who is the employee and who's the customer because I think both scenarios worked. Actually, this scenario is applicable to any pairing there is out there. 
> 
> So here it is, the fic I wrote during my lecture on bacterias. First time writing in Les Mis fandom. Enjoy!

Courfeyrac had just moved to the city for two days to start university when he found a bookshop just a few blocks from his university dorm. He had just finished unpacking his belongings at his small room and since the freshman week didn't start until next week and the welcome dorm party was not until Friday, Courfeyrac had not much to do, considering he knew no one around the campus area nor the city. His room mate still hadn't arrived and with nothing else to do he decided to take a walk around the campus and nearby area by himself. He could maybe invite a few new students he had met around the building, but he knew that he would take his time during his walk and he didn't think they would have the patient to just stroll around with no exact destination in mind.

The sky was blue and the sun was bright. It was a very nice day to walk around and he couldn't help but smiled slightly as he bobbed his head to the beat of music he listened to. It was very lovely and he found several good promising cafes and shops that he would like to visit in the future. He grabbed sandwiches and tea for lunch from a cafe called Musain and then sat down on a bench at nearby park. It was really satisfying and as the sky started to turned orange, Courfeyrac started to walk back home. It was then that he found a small bookshop, not obvious as it was crammed in between two bigger shops. The books on display caught his eyes though, as it displayed a very beautiful hardcopy of The Hobbit. He peered inside and then entered the bookshop.

The smells of books hit him immediately and the immediate scan around his surrounding quickly established his love for the bookshop. All the walls were covered with bookshelves and there were many stacks of books almost everywhere. But a quick look on the shelf and the maroon carpet and the surrounding showed that the bookshop was very well taken care of. Courfeyrac couldn't help himself but grinned widely. He didn't even notice when his feet brought him to look around at all the books. The bookshop had all the books that he had been looking for. Courfeyrac grabbed various different copies of many things and he was very much into his quest on finding the books on his mental list that he was very much surprised that almost an hour had passed already.

Courfeyrac grinned at his findings and brought the stack to the main bookshop area to pay for the books. But when he got there, there was no one behind the counter. The main area was dark, with the only source of lights came from the setting sun outside, through the windows. Courfeyrac frowned and slowly removed his earphones.

"Hello?" 

No one answered. Courfeyrac put his books on the counter and called out again, but still no replies. He walked around the bookshop, but still he found no one. He tried to not hope, but still his heart sank when he tried for the door and it was not budged. He tried again, and still it would not opened. Courfeyrac walked back to the counter and sat on the floor in front of the counter. He took a deep breath and look at the red carpet in front of him.

So... he was locked inside a bookshop. It was a very beautiful bookshop but still the fact remained that he was locked inside a bookshop. He looked at the clock on his phone and apparently it was barely 5PM. Oh, Courfeyrac thought, maybe the owner or the employee was taking a break? But the sign on the window was turned to indicate it was closed. Courfeyrac walked to the window again and saw opening hours information. Apparently, on Wednesdays, the shop was closed at 4PM. Courfeyrac just could not believe it, as he walked back and sat on the carpet again. He was locked inside a bookshop. The bizarreness and the hilarity of the situation just hit him and he started to laugh almost hysterically. Did this kind of a thing even possible? He was very sceptical just thinking that it may happened in films or novels, but now it happened to him. How did this even possible? Didn't the employee check first before closing the shop? A faint music from his phone could be heard in the silent bookshop and it hit Courfeyrac then, that maybe the employee had called out but he simply didn't hear because of his earphones. Courfeyrac sighed loudly and hid his face in his hands, groaning loudly.

Courfeyrac took out his phone then and quickly did a quick google on the bookshop hoping for any numbers that he could call so that he could be let out. But the only numbers were the bookshop's phone numbers--in which useless because he was already inside. He had no friends yet who he could call for help. Calling the police might be the other option but would the police believe him? He was considering about it when he found the bookshop's twitter account. Courfeyrac decided to tweet the bookshop first and if there was no reply in 30 minutes, then he would call the police. 

Courfeyrac yawned and realised that his phone had only 20% battery left which mean he better not use it. He checked his phone but there was still no reply--because apparently only 5 minutes had passed since he tweeted the bookshop. Courfeyrac sighed because this was what they said when time seemed to stretched so long when you were waiting for something. Courfeyrac hated it.

* * *

 

He didn't even realise that he had fallen asleep waiting until someone shook his shoulders lightly. Courfeyrac let out a startled 'what' and rubbed his bleary eyes. It took him a few seconds to rub the sleepiness off and so it took him fully by surprise when he saw the most attractive man he had ever seen in all 18 years of his life. The man in front of him was young, with short chestnut hair the loveliest pair of brown eyes behind a pair of thick-rimmed glasses. He wore a short-sleeves blue shirt that complimented really well with his olive skin. The stranger was very lovely and yet there were furrow in between his brows. Courfeyrac frowned in confusion.

"Hi, my name is Combeferre. I work in this bookshop. I am very sorry," said the man, Combeferre with a sincere tone. Courfeyrac immediately remembered what had happened and why Combeferre was here.

"You read my tweet!" replied Courfeyrac in glee. Combeferre shrugged and ducked his head in embarrassment. 

"The owner was the one who texted me about the tweet. I went here as fast as I could, but even then I have made you wait for almost 3 hours. I am really sorry. I didn't realise because I didn't see you come in nor during the time I did a quick check around the bookshop. I very much apologise," explained Combeferred. It was Courfeyrac's turn to feel a bit sheepish.

"I did enter the bookshop a few minutes before it was closed because I didn't know. I am new here. Even if you called out saying that the bookshop was closed, I probably wouldn't hear anyway, because I was listening to songs at that time. And also no worries that I waited for 3 hours since apparently I fell asleep anyway? Umm, so... sorry for the inconvenience as well? Oh! I really hope that my tweet would not get you in trouble with your boss!" Combeferre looked at Courfeyrac with such an odd expression, but slowly the attractive man shook his head and smiled with an expression that could probably be interpreted as fond.

"You didn't need to apologise and you didn't get me into any trouble at all."

Courfeyrac could only smile back. When Combeferre stood up and offered his hand to Courfeyrac, he gladly took it to stand up. He then remembered about the books he were planning to buy earlier. 

"Umm, so I am planning to buy these books? Can I buy these now or do I need to come back again tomorrow?" asked Courfeyrac feeling unsure. Again, Combeferre gave him that weird expression, like... like he couldn't understand Courfeyrac at all. Combeferre looked at the books and smiled as if in approval.

"I like your book choices. Since I have accidentally locked you inside, you don't need to pay for these books," said Combeferre.

"W-what? No! I can't just simply take it. It was not one but 6 different books. I really didn't want to get you into any trouble. I was planning to buy the books anyway. I am totally fine," protested Courfeyrac.

"But--"

"I am happy enough that I didn't end up locked up until the morning--" Combeferre winced. "But like I said, I didn't even realise that 3 hours have passed. It's totally cool. There are worse places to be locked up at. Besides, the bookshop is very nice." 

"But, I--"

"I will pay. If you still feel guilty, then you can buy me dinner," blurted Courfeyrac right before his stomach started to rumble. He felt his cheeks got warm. "I am starving," he finished lamely. Combeferre looked very amused and then nodded, before Courfeyrac could dismiss it as a simple joke. Because it was not. After he said it, he realised that he did want to go to dinner with Combeferre, and getting to know him better. 

"Alright then, I will take you to dinner. There is a really good Thai place just a block from here?"

"I love Thai."

"Okay. I will just check these books out. Are you sure I can't convince you--?"

"No, Combeferre. I really appreciate it, but I am fine so you don't need to feel guilty anymore. You actually don't need to take me to dinner, you know," said Courfeyrac, finishing the arguments.

"I really want to take you to dinner, though," replied Combeferre seriously as he checked the books out. Courfeyrac didn't know how to respond to that because it felt like the context had shifted... somehow. After Courfeyrac paid for the books ("I will bring these books for you" "But--" "Please?" "Let me carry half of mine then." "Fine.") they exited the bookshop. Combeferre locked the bookshop. 

"There was no one else inside, right?" asked Combeferre. Courfeyrac shook his head with a grin.

"Nope. Just me."

They walked together to the dinner in comfortable silence.

"It just occurs to me that I haven't asked for your name."

"It's Courfeyrac."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Courfeyrac--" Courfeyrac really liked it when Combeferre said his name. "I really hope that you are not too creeped out to not come back to the bookshop."

"It takes more than being locked inside to stop me," replied Courfeyrac with a big grin.

(The dinner was great. The food was delicious. The company was even better. Courfeyrac was pretty sure he had fallen a little bit in love with Combeferre.)

**END**

**Author's Note:**

> I really enjoyed writing this. It was fun! :DDDDD Hope you like it!


End file.
